Security breaches in software applications and networks are one of the biggest threats organizations currently face. But unless you pack your computers into boxes and go back to pencils, paper, and typewriters, being mindful of electronic security is an unavoidable reality and business expense. Because security vulnerabilities are such a high stakes issue, the subject has become a political hot potato between open source and commercial software advocates, with each pointing a finger at the other. Some commercial software vendors claim that their model promotes security while the open source model weakens it; some open source developers claim the exact opposite.

For organization making the decisions, however, blanket generalizations are best avoided.